Today’s society is filled with materialism. There are people all over the world who are constantly buying the latest gadget or car just so they can show the world how great their life is. People are constantly saying how much they want something and are always complaining about how they cannot participate in the latest trend.

Look around you. Wherever you are reading this, just look up at the people around you. Are there students shopping on their school computer’s instead of doing the assignment that is due on Friday? Are there several students texting or Snapchatting without getting caught by the teacher?

Now look at yourself. Have you been hounding your parents for a new phone or car? The answers to many of these questions is often yes.

The students at Alliance High School are no different. We complain about our computers being junk when we should be lucky to even have them. Students are always envious of others, and the items that they have. This is just the way society is.

“I think society focuses on how nice our possessions are. Many people in society are often afraid of being deemed ‘poor’, and tend to spend money on higher-end material items to avoid this.” stated AHS junior, Hannah Middleton.

We live in a world where being the best and having the best are the only things that matter. Goodbye to the days of saving money for a rainy day and hello to the days of using that saved money on a new phone or car.

I must admit, I do this as well. I tend to tell myself that I need this new pair of shoes even though I have a pair just like them sitting in my closet. I am constantly looking at clothes to buy and envying the people that have the money to buy them whenever they please.  There will be times when I want the dress someone else is wearing or the latest iPhone model. It has just become human nature.

“I try to both save and spend. I save most of my money, and any leftover I will spend on something nice for myself.” stated Middleton.

The time in which this is most present is right after Christmas break. You hear students conversing with others about what they got for Christmas, rather than what they did over break. We feel the need to express to others the items that have graciously been given to us as gifts. For some it may be to express their gratitude to the person who bought the item by telling others about it. For others, however, it is a chance to brag about all of the great items they now have in their possession.

Materialism has not only spread to items, but to relationships as well. All over social media you can see posts of “happy” couples expressing their love for each other through comments and cute pictures. For single people, like myself, this can either be very annoying or kind of depressing. It makes us think about how we don’t have that same relationship and why we aren’t deserving of a similar relationship.

There is a side to society that is far from being materialistic. Some portray themselves as minimalists, and only buy the essentials. Some go so extreme that they only have a small house, with just the basic necessities to life, and enough to keep them occupied throughout the day. f Some wear clothes bought from thrift stores to avoid buying into a materialistic society, while others just believe that you will be much happier if you avoid the clutter that is modern society.

So this year I have challenged myself, as I challenge you, to be less materialistic and more open to the world around you. Stop thinking about what kind of car or phone you should get, and instead, put that money away for college or a random adventure with your friends. Look at the world from the eyes of a minimalist. Declutter your life and stop living in a world of trends. Think of the world from a different perspective, and get away from the world of materialism.